Robin Hood [Hardcover]

Margaret Early (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 1996

Margaret Early, illustrator of Abrams' acclaimed Sleeping Beauty, William Tell and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, has created exquisitely detailed paintings and gorgeous decorative borders for this splendid new book of the adventures of Robin Hood. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There's always room for a skillful variation on a classic tale, as Early (William Tell) demonstrates by matching condensed versions of well-known tales about Robin Hood with suitably "medieval" art. Fourteen one-page episodes sketch the high points of the legendary outlaw's career, from "How Robin Hood Became an Outlaw" through his meeting with Little John, the marriage of Alan a'Dale and the visit of a disguised King Richard to Robin's camp. (No source is given, although all these dramas will be familiar to anyone who has read Howard Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.) Facing the stories, and tied to them by matching borders, are the illustrations. Their style evokes medieval illuminated manuscripts, complete with gold highlights, patterned backgrounds, flat perspective and stiff, posed figures. Detailed and richly colored, they should suit this book's primary audience?not children, though they may enjoy having the stories read to them, but those adults who are already familiar with the Robin Hood cycle and who appreciate lavish, gift-book presentations. All ages.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5?In these 14 adventures of Robin Hood, Early presents a well-rounded telling from Robin's becoming an outlaw, to his friendships with Little John, Friar Tuck, and others; his love for Maid Marian; his capture; escape; King Richard's return; and Robin's death. The language is not as difficult as the traditional Pyle, but the formal tone suits the sense of history. The selections read well and are linked to those preceding and following, but what is astonishing about the book is the attention to detail that turns it into a total aesthetic experience. Each page-long "chapter" is divided into two columns and decorated with an ornate gilded border to relate it to the bordered painting of the action on the opposing page. The full-page paintings are rich in color and detail and lushly reproduced with gold-leaf trim to resemble a miniature from a medieval book of hours. The art resembles Early's work from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1989) and William Tell (1991, both Abrams), but the color seems even more resplendent. This is as good as any available Robin Hood, and, because of the art, better than most.?Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; 1st Ed. edition (March 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810944286
• ISBN-13: 978-0641664786
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 10 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,284,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Illustrations, June 13, 2008

By 

Max (Ramsey, MN United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robin Hood (Hardcover)

Margaret Early produces a beautiful book that can be both a children's book and something adults can enjoy. The imaginative illustrations evoke medieval legend, and the one-page story texts follow traditional versions of the Robin Hood tale.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, beautiful pictures, January 4, 2011

By 

Matt - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robin Hood (Hardcover)

This is a fantastic retelling of the classic legend of Robin Hood. Each page is a set piece, with a lively retelling of an episode in the story illustrated by a large beautiful picture. My young boys love this book, and it is a pleasure to read it to them.